This Week in Milwaukee: Feb. 9-15

Thursday, Feb. 9

Science Strikes Back @ Escuela Verde, 5 p.m.Remember how cool
science fairs were? Walking from table to table, witnessing all those
scientific phenomena you’d never even known about before; amazed by the wonders
of the world? At this all-ages science fair, hosted by the arts organization
Cedar Block and Milwaukee’s Escuela Verde High School (3628 E. Pierce St.),
adults are invited to relive those good old days. The event will feature more than
20 projects from grownups and Escuela Verde students alike, spanning “everything
from knitting to gravitational waves, food ingredients to 3D printing, baseball
to road traffic,” according to Cedar Block. And like all good science fairs,
this one will be judged. The winner will take home a trophy sculpted by artist
Mark Winter. This is a family friendly event (it’s at a high school after all),
but it’ll be followed at 9 p.m. by a 21-plus after party featuring live music
at Kochanski’s Concertina Beer Hall.

Radio Milwaukee SoundBites Fundraiser @ Iron Horse Hotel, 5:30 p.m.Food and wine tastings are a dime a dozen around the city, as are food and
beer tastings. For its annual SoundBites fundraiser, though, 88Nine Radio
Milwaukee has come up with a far more novel pairing: food and music. The
station recruits top chefs from around the city to create pairings with songs
selected by station DJs and other friends of the station. Chefs from Smyth,
Story Hill BKC, Company Brewing, Bavette, DanDan, Amilinda, Parkside 23 and
Lake Park Bistro are among the participants this year. Tickets are $125 and can
be purchased through radiomilwaukee.org.

Stephen Lynch @ Turner Hall Ballroom, 8 p.m.Like a blue “Weird Al” Yankovic making a push for the college market—or
perhaps a better analogy is Dane Cook with a guitar—comedian-musician Stephen
Lynch traffics in novelty songs about taboo topics. On his 2009 album, 3 Balloons, the Comedy Central veteran
lewdly tackled subjects like AIDS testing, anal drug-trafficking and vaginal
grooming, all with a smug smirk on his face. His bathroom humor belies some
serious onstage credentials, though: In 2006, he starred in the Broadway
production of The Wedding Singer. He
earned a Tony nomination for the role.

Friday, Feb. 10

Gladys Knight @ The Pabst Theater, 8 p.m.Gladys Knight and the Pips recorded a number of minor hits for Motown in
the mid-to-late ’60s, but it wasn’t until the group left the label that they
scored their signature hit, “Midnight Train to Georgia.” Knight has had a
colorful career since splitting with the Pips for good in 1988, recording the
title song for the James Bond movie License
to Kill, opening a chain of well-loved chicken and waffle restaurants, and,
at age 67, competing on TV’s “Dancing With the Stars.” Her most recent album is
2014’s Where My Heart Belongs, a
gospel-heavy record filled with inspirational numbers.

Saturday, Feb. 11

Noname w/ Ravyn Lenae and Siren @ Miramar Theatre, 8 p.m.The best verse on Chance the Rapper’s breakthrough mixtape Acid Rap didn’t actually belong to
Chance the Rapper. It came from fellow Chicagoan Noname, who delivered a
moving, unforgettably vulnerable performance on the mixtape standout “Lost.” Since
then, she’s continued to appear on every Chance project, including the Social
Experiment album Surf and last year’s
Coloring Book. But it wasn’t until
last year that she finally released her own mixtape, Telefone, a gorgeously understated, deeply emotional half hour of
hip-hop and poetry that proves her Chance features were no fluke. She’s an
exceptional talent.

Valentine’s Soiree @ Company Brewing, 8:30 p.m.This Valentine’s event hosted by VoodooHoney Records and Reginald Baylor
Studio features a little bit of everything. Jazz guitarist Tomas Antonic kicks
off the evening during dinner service before giving the stage to dancer
Christopher de Angelo Gilbert, who will host a Chicago stepping dance class.
The crowd can put the moves to use for the rest of the night, which will
feature the soul group Ahvant Soul, singer B~Free leading a tribute to ’80s
love songs (she’ll be joined by DJ Tarik Moody and a cast of guest singers) and
will close with a collaborative set between Lex Allen and Moody.

Valentine’s ’60s 2nd Chance Prom @ Boerner Botanical Gardens, 7 p.m.The Friends of Boerner Botanical Gardens invite patrons of a certain age to
relive their 1960s high school prom at this dance benefitting the
organization’s children’s education programming. Emceed by radio vet Gene
Mueller, the prom will feature live music from the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s, cover
bands British Invasion ’64 and Close Enuf, raffles, games, candy, roses, a cash
bar and a photo booth. Guests are encouraged to dress in their finest ’60s attire,
and there will be prizes for the prom king and queen. Tickets are $25 per
person or $40 for a couple.

Tuesday, Feb. 14

The Illusionists @ Marcus Center, 7:30 p.m.Broadway’s spin on a modern Las Vegas-style magic revue, The Illusionists features seven very
theatrical magicians, most of whom are dressed as brightly as comic book
characters (and most of which have comic-book names to match). A whole lot of
stunts, spectacle and audience participation ensues, much of it set to loud
rock music. It could make for a pretty decent Valentine’s Day date—if your
partner isn’t too creeped out by a trick that involves a quarter going through
an eye socket. (Multiple shows through Sunday, Feb. 19.)